Hollywood actor Neil Patrick Harris has publicly questioned why his appearance was dramatically altered in a social media post shared by reality TV star Abby Lee Miller. The 52-year-old How I Met Your Mother star appeared baffled after Miller posted a photo where his face had been extensively smoothed and edited using the popular app FaceTune.
A Puzzled Response from the Stage Star
The incident began when Miller, the 60-year-old former Dance Moms coach, shared a series of selfies she took with the cast of a Broadway revival. The play, Art by Yasmina Reza, stars Harris alongside James Corden and Bobby Cannavale. While Corden and Cannavale looked recognisable in their photos, Harris's image had been subjected to such severe digital airbrushing that his features took on an unnatural, doll-like quality.
Fans were quick to notice the discrepancy, flooding the comments section with jokes and criticism. Terms like 'corpse filter' and 'wax model' were used to describe the heavily edited visage of the actor. Seemingly perplexed, Harris himself joined the conversation, writing directly in Miller's comments: 'Ummm... what did you do to my face..?'
Miller's Heartfelt Explanation
The following day, Abby Lee Miller responded to Harris's query with a deeply personal explanation. Miller, who has been cancer-free since May 2019 after battling Burkitt lymphoma, a form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, defended her use of filters. She revealed she underwent ten rounds of invasive chemotherapy and has faced significant ongoing health challenges.
In her reply to Harris, she wrote: 'Burkitt Lymphoma, 10 rounds of invasive chemo & a big birthday — so I'm sticking with the filters! You sir — always look fabulous no matter what!!!' Miller has been open about living with daily pain and using a wheelchair following emergency spinal surgery, details highlighted in an ongoing medical malpractice lawsuit.
Social Media Weighs In
The online reaction was a mix of humour and sympathy. The official Instagram account for the FaceTune app even cheekily replied to Harris's comment, stating: 'nothing don't worry abt it.' Meanwhile, other social media users continued to poke fun at the editing mishap, with comments ranging from 'Holy face tune' to 'neil paintbrush harris.'
At the time of the initial reports, Neil Patrick Harris had not publicly responded to Miller's explanation regarding her health struggles and filter use. The actor, who made a rare red carpet appearance recently with his husband David Burtka and their teenage twins, is currently focused on his Broadway run.
This episode highlights the intense scrutiny of celebrity social media posts and the sometimes unexpected, personal reasons behind a person's choice to alter their digital image.
